Tree with altar

Taken by Associate Editor Rachelle Gould.

Sacred City

For many people, the sacred and ecosystems are intimately connected. This altar is tucked into an urban grove of trees on la Avenida de la Reforma, one of Mexico City’s central transportation arteries. Rachelle does not know the story behind the altar, but it suggests that this Christian holy figure is honored by her perch on a tree trunk, surrounded by other trees. This small work of reverence is a powerful testimony to the intertwining of the sacred with nature in the experiences of many people, even in the midst of an urban center.